Meet Owen Cooper: The Talented Young Brit Who Steals Scenes as Jamie in "Adolescence" and Now Joins Forces with Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie
New Netflix show Adolescence Since its launch earlier this month, it has garnered widespread acclaim. Boasting a perfect 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the single-take crime thriller unfolds across four episodes and revolves around a couple whose lives fall apart after their adolescent son is apprehended for allegedly killing a classmate.
Some recognizable actors are part of the cast lineup. Boiling Point Stephen Graham — who portrays Eddie Miller, the father of the 13-year-old boy — to The Crown 's Erin Doherty plays the role of psychologist Briony Ariston. However, there are several newcomers in the cast as well, with the lead actor Owen Cooper being a standout, rapidly gaining international recognition.
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This is what we understand about Owen Cooper, the actor portraying Jamie Miller as the lead character in the series.
What is Owen Cooper's history?
Cooper, who is 15 years old, hails from Northern England—a detail that resonated with his role since the series was shot in Yorkshire. He explained to the Liverpool Echo, “What appealed to me most about the storyline was that it’s rooted in the north and tells a northern tale, which mirrored my own background.” Additionally, Cooper mentioned that he comes from a family of three siblings, being the youngest among them.
During the same interview, he confessed that he was unsure about the origin of his acting abilities. He mentioned, "Both of my brothers work as electricians, and my mother is a caregiver. My father is employed in IT. Therefore, I have absolutely no idea where this talent came from."
He's brand new to acting – essentially
It might be difficult to accept, considering his innate talents, but Adolescence Cooper's initial foray into acting occurred quite recently. He mentioned to Variety, "I genuinely developed an interest in pursuing acting roughly a few years back. It hasn’t been a lengthy journey; during my upbringing, becoming a soccer player was my aspiration. The reason behind this desire remains unclear to me, yet the urge to act emerged spontaneously."
He mentioned that he ultimately attended the classes and had a great time. Following his entry into an agency known as The Drama Mob, he received a self-tape audition request. Adolescence "I mailed off the tape without any expectations of getting something back, but about a month later, I received an unexpected call from Manchester. Honestly, it was like a whirlwind," he shared with The Mail on Sunday.
He has been receiving significant acclaim for his first acting performance.
Since Adolescence Aired, critics have continually praised the young performer's acting abilities. He shared with Variety, "People have been saying very complimentary things." His agent has also witnessed this acclaim [ Adolescence And she mentioned that it was truly excellent.
Not only his agent and the critics have been highly complimentary of him; even the director was deeply impressed by his performance. “What he accomplished left me astounded. Many actors spend decades training yet struggle to achieve what Owen has grasped—primarily staying present, truly listening, and delivering authentic performances,” said the series’ director Philip Barantini to Variety.
He will be starring in "Wuthering Heights," appearing alongside Margot Robbie.
Cooper's following project is also significant. He will portray a young version of Heathcliff, played by Jacob Elordi in Emerald Fennell's forthcoming adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel. Wuthering Heights . Margot Robbie will also feature in the star-filled production set for release in February 2026.
He supports Liverpool FC.
Cooper, whose aspiration was to become a soccer player, is a supporter of Liverpool FC as reported by the Liverpool Echo. He mentioned that he differs significantly from his character in the story. Adolescence "I don't believe Jamie is athletic in any way; actually, it’s just the opposite with me. I'm part of the school's football team and also participate in games outside of school,” he mentioned.
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